Hunter Schafer Challenges Trump-Era Passport Policies Amid Transgender Rights Lawsuit
February 24, 2025
Transgender rights have become a contentious issue in the U.S., with Trump making it a central theme of his 2024 presidential campaign, promising to end what he calls 'transgender madness'.
Under the previous administration, Americans could self-identify their gender on passports, and the Biden administration had introduced an 'X' designation for non-binary individuals, which has now been reversed.
Other celebrities, including Laverne Cox and singer Chappell Roan, have also publicly supported transgender rights, emphasizing the resilience and joy within the trans community.
She expressed concern over the normalization of such restrictive policies and highlighted that no individual, regardless of privilege, is exempt from their impacts.
The State Department confirmed adherence to Trump's executive order but refrained from commenting on individual cases due to privacy concerns.
Despite holding female gender markers on her identification since adolescence, Schafer's birth certificate remains unchanged, complicating her situation.
In response to these policies, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is representing seven transgender individuals in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming that the passport policy violates privacy and First Amendment rights.
Hunter Schafer, a prominent transgender performer, recently shared her experience of receiving a passport that incorrectly lists her gender as male, a consequence of recent executive orders by the Trump administration.
This incident marks the first time Schafer faced complications regarding her gender marker since changing it nearly a decade ago, raising alarms about increasing restrictions on transgender rights.
Schafer emphasized that her intention in sharing this experience was to raise awareness about the challenges faced by transgender individuals due to governmental policies, rather than to seek sympathy.
Schafer pointed out that the administration's actions extend beyond passport policies, affecting gender-affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth and banning transgender athletes from women's sports.
Schafer has been a vocal advocate for trans rights, aiming to shift public focus away from her gender identity in her career.
Summary based on 30 sources
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Sources

BBC News • Feb 22, 2025
Hunter Schafer: Trans Euphoria star says new passport lists her as male
BBC News • Feb 22, 2025
Hunter Schafer: Trans Euphoria star says new passport lists her as male
The Independent • Feb 21, 2025
Hunter Schafer shares poignant TikTok after new passport lists her as male following Trump’s executive order
CBS News • Feb 21, 2025
Hunter Schafer says passport now lists her gender as male after Trump order